1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of heating elements for industrial furnace applications, and in particular to an improved heat conductor support disc for use in a heating element.
2. Description of the Related Art
In industrial furnaces employed in the processing of materials and products at high temperatures, electrical heating elements are positioned and supported by ceramic discs. Typically, the heating resistor elements or heat conductors are inserted through apertures in the discs. In such discs, a center aperture for a supporting element is located on a symmetrical axis in the center of the disc. Apertures for heat conductors are provided uniformly distributed on at least one circle coaxial with a respective disc center. During service such discs tend to break due to thermal stresses induced in the disc.
The prior art can be exemplified by U.S. Pat. No. B1 5,543,603, which hereby is incorporated by reference. This US patent shows discs as described above.
An object of the present invention is to provide a ceramic heat conductor support disc for supporting electrical heating elements for heating furnaces, which discs have a much lower tendency to break due to thermal stresses.